Cat Person – Film Review
by Frank L.

Director – Susanna Fogel
Writers – Michelle Ashford, Kristen Roupenian
Stars – Emilia Jones, Nicholas Braun, Geraldine Viswanathan

This is an adaptation of a short story of the same title written by Kristen Roupenian, that appeared on 4th December 2017 in the New Yorker magazine. It instantly became the subject of a wide debate both in literary circles which could have been expected but also on social media. Its underlying premise is the thought processes which may run riot in a young woman’s mind when dating a man. What she knows about the man she is dating is almost non-existent and comes primarily from texting. Her mind plays with many ideas which could be real or imagined.

The film opens with a quotation from Margaret Atwood “Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.” The second sentence encapsulates the sense of fear which occasionally flashes across the mind of Margot (Emilia Jones) as she negotiates a relationship with Robert (Succession’s Greg – Nicholas Braun). She is a sophomore student who works an occasional evening in a cinema theater at the concession counter. Robert, who is obviously older than Margot, arrives and buys a mineral and a packet of Red Vines. She comments on his choice and the ice is broken. He comes a week later to the cinema and they strike up a conversation and after a little flirting, he gets her number. They start texting innocuously for several weeks, but then on the spur of a moment, they agree to meet…

The first section of the film is clearly taken from the short story, but after a point, the film moves beyond it and is breaking new ground. The later parts of the film are in effect a sequel to the short story, giving a definite ending that lacks the subtlety of the original. The joy of the short story was her uncertainty over the events and that we would never know the answer to the many questions going through her mind.

In the short story, the characters of Margot and Robert dominate. There are passing references to her roommate, her stepfather and her mother but they are brief. The film to a certain extent fleshes them out. However, the central plot throughout is the negotiations Margot and Robert undertake as they head towards a date, and what happens on the date and its immediate aftermath. Jones is entirely convincing as an intelligent and lively sophomore who is engaging-looking and not adverse to dating without knowing too much about the other person. Braun represents a fine guy but somewhat suspect in his thirties who seems to be a bit of a loner. The only person he is ever in the company of is Margot. He does not appear to have family or friends. So there is something unsettling about him, especially as he is interested in dating a girl who is obviously many years his junior.

The quotation from Atwood dominates the film. As the film is told from Margot’s perspective it is her fears which dominate. Robert’s persona remains more hidden. How wise it was to make an adaptation of the short story is questionable given that so much of it is the thoughts that run through Margot’s mind. Expanding the story further with a sequel is even more questionable. The end result is a film which is interesting in relation to the hopes and fears of a young woman on a casual date. However, as the fantasies are in her mind the written word is probably a better vehicle than the movie screen with which to explore them. Sadly, the new material does not succeed as a sequel to what is told in the short story.